St. John Brebeuf Secondary hosts relic of school patron
The St. John Brebeuf Secondary community had the rare opportunity to venerate a first-class relic of their patron, St. Jean de Brebeuf, alongside relics of three other Canadian saints — St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Charles Garnier, and St. Gabriel Lalement.
The relics were visiting from the Canadian Martyrs Shrine in Midland, Ont.
Religious charities in the crosshairs
The following is excerpted from Church for Vancouver by publisher Flyn Ritchie on Jan. 8:
Roughly 40 per cent of all charitable organizations in Canada are religious. Their status was threatened just before Christmas, when the Standing Committee on Finance released its “Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2025 Budget“ in the House of Commons on Dec.
Preserving the past: St. Matthew’s historian revives parish stories in hope of inspiring gratitude
While many amateur historians who delve into the depths of parish records can find the exercise frustrating, this has not been the experience for St. Matthew’s parishioner Daisy Wong.
She has been enjoying collecting bits and pieces of the Surrey parish’s history.
MAiD toll now almost five per cent of deaths in Canada
Health Canada’s new annual report about medical assistance in dying (MAiD) revealed that euthanasia now accounts for nearly five per cent — 15,343 people — of the nation’s total fatalities (326,571) in 2023.
Rebecca Vachon, health program director for the non-partisan think tank Cardus, declared the report “reconfirms that Canada has one of the fastest growing euthanasia and assisted suicide programs in the world.
Epiphany: Finding ourselves changed at the manger
“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.’”
At creation, God had baptism in mind
Baptism of the Lord, Year C
First Reading: Is 40:1–5, 9–11
Second Reading: Ti 2:11–14; 3:4–7
Gospel Reading: Lk 3:15–16, 21–22
In 1955, Pope Pius XII separated the Feast of the Lord’s baptism from the Epiphany (then Jan. 6) and moved it to Jan.
Canadian group that led push to MAiD warns of abuse of system
An activist group that led the push to legalize medical aid in dying (MAiD) in Canada is now warning that additional government safeguards are needed to combat reports of abuse of the program.
Liz Hughes, executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), told the National Post that the organization has become “aware of concerning reports of people being offered MAID in circumstances that may not legally qualify as well as people accessing MAID as a result of intolerable social circumstances.”
Mary a sign of ‘certain hope’ in the Jubilee Year
On Wednesday, Jan. 1, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, a holy day of obligation for Catholics.
The Gospels usually call Mary “the mother of Jesus,” but when Mary greeted her cousin Elizabeth after conceiving Jesus, Elizabeth cried out: “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
‘Recognize the Child Jesus in faces of the world’s children,’ Archbishop Miller says in Christmas message
Dear brothers and sisters:
“To you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11). Those words spoken by the Angel in the heavens above Bethlehem so long ago are just as clearly addressed to us today.
‘Promise of salvation is ours’: Canadian bishops’ Christmas message
Below is the Christmas message from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
A Saviour has been born for us; a Son has been given to us.
Christ, who in his birth and in becoming human has allowed us to share in the glory of his immortal nature.